Alone
by Miss Peg
Summary: It's been a year since leaving college - Tibby's career appears to be taking her off around the world, Carmen's moving in with Win and Bridget's got family troubles to keep her busy, so where does that leave a lonely Lena?
1. Big Break

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Sisterhood or the characters from the novels, how amazing would it be if I did?**

**Prompt: Alone (part of my _Fanfic 100 challenge_ - see profile for more details and information on how you can get involved!)**

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Bzzz. Bzzz. Lena put down her paintbrush and stumbled across the cluttered apartment to the door, she lifted the receiver and sighed, annoyed at the disruption.

"Yep?"

"Lena, it's Tib." came the response, causing an easy smile to spread across Lena's face.

"Come up." she mumbled, pushing the button to let Tibby into the building. A couple of minutes later and there was a knock on the door of her apartment.

"Lena!" Tibby squealed, enveloping her into a hug, which she reciprocated quickly. "How long has it been?"

"A month." Lena gasped, realising for the first time how long it had been since she'd seen her best friend.

.

They walked through the apartment towards the kitchen. Lena pulled out two glasses and filled them with juice, placing them on the kitchen table in front of Tibby, before taking a seat opposite her.

.

"Don't ever go shoot a short movie in California ever again." she joked.

"Erm…" Tibby looked down.

"No, Tibs, no!" Lena begged, unable to disguise her sadness as a few tears fell down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, but I got a call from my agent when I got off the plane. The writer of the latest X-men movies saw the final edit of that short movie I directed in Hawaii last Spring and he really wants me to direct his new project."

Lena wiped the tears from her eyes. "I don't want to spend another minute without you Tibby, let alone another month."

"Or eight."

"Eight what?"

"Erm…months." Tibby stuttered, hating the sound of the words as they fell from her lips.

"Eight months?" Lena frowned. "Eight…months."

.

Lena stared at Tibby as she processed what she was being told. She wasn't a clingy friend, but the thought of not seeing Tibby for eight months was just too much to bear. Tears fell down her cheeks again, causing her friend to pull her into an embrace.

.

"I'm so sorry Lena, but this is a BIG movie. They've got Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz to star in it, do you know what that means for my career?"

"But eight months." Lena gasped, wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry Lena, I know you were counting on me to move in here and share the rent, but this is just too big to say no to."

"When do you leave?" Lena asked her hands.

"Tuesday, I'm having a meeting with Andy, the writer on Thursday."

"Tuesday is two days away, why do you have to go on Tuesday if you don't need to be there til Thursday?" Lena asked, trying not to sound so hurt by Tibby's opportunity.

"That's the thing." Tibby mumbled.

"Oh no, not more bad news." Lena gasped, not caring to hide her disappointment.

"I'm sorry if my good fortune is ruining your happiness." Tibby grunted, losing her patience.

Lena knew she was being rude. "I'm sorry, I am happy for you. Of course I am. I'm just going to miss you, Tib. Where are you shooting?"

"The first twelve weeks are in England, then eight weeks in Australia and the final month is back here in South Dakota."

"You're touring the road then." Lena smiled, albeit forced, in an attempt to make it up to Tibby.

"I am sorry that I can't move in here, you know that right?"

Lena nodded, appearing happy as she embraced her best friend. "Congratulations."

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**Author Note: Thanks for reading the first chapter of 'Alone', if you liked my story then PLEASE review it. I like happy comments, but I also respect constructive criticism, so fire away!**

**I write stories not only for my pleasure but for the pleasure of others so if there's any way that I can make you enjoy this stories any better then please tell me.  
**


	2. Technology

The computer took an age to load. Ever since it had gotten a bad virus a couple of months before it had acted up at every available opportunity. She hated the damned computer. They were supposed to be saving the world, making things easier, getting faster. As she stared at the computer screen she doubted everything she'd ever read about computers and began hating them more.

Bridget waited for a few minutes, then she got up from her desk and made a mug of coffee, flicked through the television channels and visited the restroom. She finally took a seat back at the computer to find it still loading.

"Stupid. Inconsiderate. Piece. Of. Crap." Bee snapped, kicking the box. It didn't help one bit, but it helped her to feel better, if only for a minute.

At times like this she wished Perry lived nearby. She was happy for him. He was moving on with his life. Finally going to college and earning something more than a sore butt from playing video games in his bedroom was doing him the world of good. But she really needed his computer whiz right now.

Clicking the instant messenger icon, Bridget waited again. Ten minutes later and she was finally signed in and checking through the list to see if there was anyone she felt like talking to. Brian. She wasn't really in the mood to talk to her friends' boyfriends. Diana. She loved Diana, but she wasn't in a fun kind of mood and Diana was usually ready with funny stories to tell. Lena. Perfect. She opened up the conversation box and began typing.

Beezy3: Hey.

Lena finished typing her email and clicked on the IM icon that appeared at the bottom of her screen, on seeing Bridget's name she squealed and opened the box.

Lennyk162: Hi!!

Beezy3: You sound hyper.

Lennk162: You sound not. You ok?

Beezy3: Just not in the hyper mood. what's up?

Lennk162: Not much. Did you hear about Tib?

Beezy3: Ms. Globetrotter, yeah. It sucks big time.

Lennk162: Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. I'm happy for her, but eight months is a long time.

Beezy3: Tell me about it. Does Carma know?

Bridget stared in horror as the screen went blank. She banged the keys with her fingers and kicked the box.

"You did not just do that." she cried, kicking it again. She flicked the on button, the reset button and the button at the socket, but the computer would not revive itself. Cursing loudly she gave up. She was already in a bad mood, she really didn't need this. Her phone buzzed with a message from Lena. She wanted to look at it, she really did. But her mind was already elsewhere, occupied in the land of Bee.

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**AN: Please review when you've read! It's so nice to hear what people think, even if it's constructive criticism.  
**

**I know the first couple of chapters aren't that eventful, it's just introducing the story. I hope it'll get more interesting for you all soon!**


	3. Home Sweet Home

Crash. Win ran into the bedroom to find Carmen lay on the floor with an overturned box at her feet, her belongings scattered across the wooden floor. He laughed lightly whilst helping her to her feet. Carmen was amazing and he was thankful to have had her in his life for the last five years. There was something about her that caused butterflies to fly about in his stomach, more so since they'd agreed to move in together.

"Carm! Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." she groaned, dusting off her sweat pants and analysing a painful ankle.

"What are you doing?" Win asked as Carmen sat down, her ankle in her hands.

"I'm fine, really. I just twisted it a little."

"A little?"

"Yes, a little. It's fine, really." she smiled up at him.

"You sure?" Win asked again, resting an arm round her shoulder.

"I am."

Carmen turned to her boyfriend. She loved him for his attention to everything. She loved him for being him. She loved him for who she was when they were together and she loved him for asking her to move in with him.

"Why don't you go into the living room and watch TV?"

"I can't, we have too much to do." Carmen told him.

"We've moved all of our chairs and tables and beds and boxes. Now we unpack, it can wait til later, or even tomorrow. And right now it's time for Brawn and Beauty…I know how much you'd hate to miss that."

She couldn't help but smile at his generosity. The apartment was a mess, she knew it and he knew it. But he would still offer her a break to watch her favourite soap.

"I can watch it online these days you know."

"You don't need to."

"Okay, okay." she laughed.

Brawn and Beauty ended and Carmen wiped a few tears from her eyes. She looked around to find Win watching her from the doorway, chuckling to himself.

"What's so funny?"

"I love that you cry when someone cries."

"It's sad." she defended, laughing.

Win walked over and slipped onto the sofa beside her. His hands slipped naturally around her waist, his lips landing on her neck in a passionate embrace. This was what it was all about, Carmen thought to herself. The togetherness, the close, passionate relationship they'd only experienced for a day or two at a time. Before today. She turned to face him, kissing him deeper. For the first time since leaving college, she felt like she fit perfectly into the life she was leading.

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**AN: Please review when you've read! It's so nice to hear what people think, even if it's constructive criticism.  
**

**Please keep reading. :)  
**


	4. Feeling Low

**AN: I'm sorry if it still doesn't seem that entertaining, it is working up to it. The next few chapters will hopefully progress the story further.**

**Thanks for the reviews off those who have done so! It's always nice to read what people think of my writing, so please keep reviewing or why not take the time to do it if you haven't already! :)**

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She held the paintbrush assertively in her hand, paint slipping onto the canvas with every stroke. It was so natural, so familiar, for her hand to move across the page, to form the lines and the textures she imagined. Lena glanced up from her painting to stare out of the window of her apartment, out across the canal in the distance. She'd longed to paint the idyllic view from her home since the moment she'd moving in. Recently finding herself between jobs, she decided that the perfect time was now.

Bzz. Bzz. The sound of her buzzer sliced through the silence, causing her to jump. The paint brush nudged itself out of position causing an unwanted stroke on the canvas. Lena cursed under her breath, then moved to wipe the stroke away with a piece of Kleenex. Bzz. Bzz. The buzzer continued to make itself known.

"Just a minute." she muttered, wiping her hands on her overalls.

Bzzzzzzzzzzz. The buzzer made one continual sound until she lifted the receiver and pressed the button.

"Yes?" Lena snapped, annoyed at the disturbance.

"Buzz me up." came the firm voice of her impatient little sister.

She wanted to shout, to explain to Effie that unless she called first, her arrival may not be welcomed. But her energy was low after four hours sat in front of her canvas. She pressed the button allowing Effie entrance, opened the front door an inch and then wandered into the kitchen to make herself a sandwich and grab an energy bar.

"Lena!" Effie's voice travelled through the apartment.

"In the kitchen." she replied.

"What are you doing in there?"

"Making some lunch, what do you think?" Lena replied, sarcastically.

Effie appeared in the doorway. "No need to bite my head off."

"I was painting." Lena informed her, without pause for thought on tone.

"Sor-ree." Effie snapped back.

"No, I'm sorry." Lena mumbled. "My blood sugar's low and I've not spoken to anyone in thirty hours."

Effie rolled her eyes and took over the sandwich making, ensuring to make enough for two. She grabbed a second energy bar and two soda's from the fridge before leading them into the lounge as though it was her apartment and not Lena's. Normally she'd be annoyed by this, but today she was thankful for the company, despite the frosty reception.

"What's up?" Effie asked, placing the food in front of Lena and taking a seat.

"Nothing."

"Lena." Effie stared her out until she looked away, admitting her lie.

"Tibby went to shoot a movie for eight months, Carmen's moved in with Win. I've been out of school for almost a year now and what have I done with my life?"

"Nothing." Effie replied, a smile creeping onto her face.

"Thanks." Lena laughed.

"I know exactly what you need."

"No, I don't want to double date with your boyfriend and one of his sleazy friends."

Effie rolled her eyes. Honestly, sometimes she wondered how she shared DNA with Lena. Sure they shared a facial resemblance, but beyond that their similarities were zero. Lena was shy and reserved and she was anything but.

"No." she laughed. "You need a night out."

"Who with? My imaginary friends?" Lena sighed.

"With me."

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**AN: Please review!**


	5. London, baby

**AN: Thanks for the reviews...I hope you continue to enjoy my story.**

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The cool breeze hit her skin as she walked out of the airport. She knew that England wasn't as hot as the US, but feeling the nip in the breeze she realised just how different the temperature was. She glanced around at the cars, buses and cab's circling around the parking lot, until she caught sight of the deep green limo waiting to take her to the hotel. Sliding into the back seat, after the driver took her bags, she let out a deep breath. There were times when she was a teenager where she'd pictured visiting other cities, other countries, but the reality of being here in London was a lot better.

"Ms Tabitha Tomko-Rollins?" the driver asked, she nodded, too in awe to correct him. She took a mental note to official change her name to Tibby Rollins in order to avoid situations like this.

The drive felt long. Tibby stared out of the window as the streets and building rushed by. On sight of shops called Marks and Spencers and Waitrose she longed for Macy's and Bloomingdales, despite not shopping in either. It was a strange feeling of homesickness, yet she knew she didn't miss home. She missed the Sisterhood, Brian and if she really admitted it, her family. But most of all she missed the familiar. Her wish was granted as the big yellow M came into view, side by side with a Starbucks sign. Maybe she could handle this. She thought as the limo slowed beside a beautiful old building.

"The Charlton Hotel." the driver informed her. It took a moment, but Tibby finally nodded and slid out of the limo. The driver finished putting her bags on the ground, muttered a goodbye and climbed back into his limo. She turned, remembering she hadn't tipped him, to see the trunk of the limo disappearing into the traffic.

"This is it." she thought aloud, pulling her bags up the stone steps and into the hotel.

An hour after exploring the hotel and her suite, Tibby entered the Corporal Lounge, a room roughly the size and shape of an average sized classroom. In the centre were some tables arranged in a 'T' shape. Two men stood at the front attempting to work a laptop and projector, whilst six others were seated around the table. She immediately recognised Andy, the writer.

"Hello, I'm Tibby Rollins." she greeted him, holding out a hand. The man smiled, greeted her and introduced the producers and casting team.

"And this is Edward Bardot." he introduced, sending a shiver down Tibby's spine. "He is the director."

"I, I thought…" Tibby began, before being interrupted.

"Edward, this is Tibby, your assistant."

There was a long pause in which Tibby and Edward Bardot stared at each other, a look of confusion on Tibby's face and a look she couldn't explain on Edwards.

"You look twelve." he grumbled as way of greeting her.

"I'm twenty-two." Tibby defended.

There wasn't any time for discussion as the meeting began. Tibby tried to listen to what was going on but two things were running through her mind; she was told she'd be directing the movie, instead she was assistant to Edward Bardot. It bothered her that she hadn't been informed of this fact. On the other hand, she had studied Edward Bardot's work in college and her admiration was high. So what if she didn't get to do the job alone, she'd be working with one of the most successful directors of recent years.

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**AN: Please review when you've read, it's so nice to find out what you think of my work.**


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